The proposed schedule for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, which was approved by the ICC board and broadcasters last month, faced no opposition from any participating nation, including India, during the board meeting in Dubai, according to sources. The schedule, which includes 15 matches across three Pakistani cities—Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi—was shared with all teams, and no objections were raised at that time.
Despite this, sources suggest that recent verbal communications from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about its inability to travel to Pakistan may be part of a strategy to disrupt the tournament, raising questions about the timing and intentions behind India’s stance. A source with knowledge of the situation described this move as potentially driven by “mala fide intentions” intended to sow discord ahead of the event.
According to minutes from the ICC board meeting, the schedule was developed in coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and received approval from ICC’s main broadcast partner, Star. Each participating team also received a copy of the schedule, with no objections voiced at any stage.
However, concerns were raised when, just before an event was planned to mark 100 days to the tournament, India verbally informed the ICC of its position, claiming it could not travel to Pakistan. This verbal communication was seen as a sudden shift, given that the ICC board meeting, where such issues should have been addressed, had already taken place without any mention of these concerns.
The PCB had also briefed the ICC on the progress of development work at the three venues and had received approval to host international testing events at these sites in January 2025. Additionally, the PCB had shared a comprehensive security plan with the ICC and security managers from all participating teams, with no objections raised.
Despite this, Pakistan remains in a state of uncertainty. The PCB is awaiting an official response from the ICC after it sent a questionnaire two days ago in response to India’s verbal communication. Sources suggest that the lack of a formal written response from the BCCI signals that there is no official document outlining India’s position, which would have been shared with the PCB by now if it existed.
This last-minute uncertainty is causing frustration not only for cricket fans worldwide but also for commercial stakeholders whose brand activations and promotional activities are currently on hold due to the confusion surrounding the tournament. With less than 100 days until the event, the delay in officially confirming the schedule is creating significant disruption to the planning process.
